What I’ve learned about body confidence in 2017

It’s that time of year again for reflecting on the past year. 2017 has been a funny one for me, with plenty of ups and downs. But as another year goes by, I find myself more confident in my own skin than ever before. Here’s what I’ve learned about my body, and how I’ve built my confidence throughout 2017.

My body hasn’t actually been my best friend these past twelve months. I’m currently waiting on a diagnosis after having some major digestive problems which has meant sometimes I have to eat the boring white carbs rather than the high protein, veggie-packed meals I feel I should be eating. And a shoulder injury has limited what exercises I can do, which believe me I am NOT happy about. I do feel guilty sometimes that I don’t have the body of a fitness Instagram star. Don’t we all?

But despite battling with health issues- and finally waving goodbye to some old favourites from my wardrobe due to them being too small now- in 2017 I learned to appreciate my body like never before. Chubby legs? I now tell myself they are strong legs. Bad skin day? It’s annoying but it’s not the end of the world. If anything, not feeling at my bestthis year has taught me to value the things my body can do, rather than what it can’t. I’m so lucky to have a body that works (er, mostly) and people in my life who value my personality and intelligence rather than just my looks.

However, that’s not to say I’m settling with the status quo entirely. I’ve started to focus on what products I’m using on my skin, and all the foods and other things I’m putting into my body. I certainly don’t have the metabolism of a teenager anymore. While I can’t do anything about it, I am focusing on looking after myself as I am now rather than focusing on the past.

2017 has also been the year I truly found my style. I’ve learned to dress the way I feel comfortable, rather than what I feel is expected of me. I’ve been playful with my style and experimented with different looks. Most importantly of all, I’ve had fun.

I have become a bit reliant this year on my hair extensions and false eyelashes. At first I thought this was a major #fail in the body confidence stakes, but I’ve since realised something: body confidence is about finding a look where YOU feel comfortable. If I want to enhance my natural assets then I can. And if you want to then you should too.

Body confidence for me stems in being happy within myself. There have been plenty of times in 2017 when I haven’t felt as happy as I could have, like when I had to quit my job (that was a blast) and in truth, there’s been a lot of times over the past twelve months when I’ve been faking it. But scientists have shown that if you fake a smile it actually does make you feel happier, so even when I’ve been feeling low I’ve forced myself to put on a positive face and try my best. It works.

Being confident in your body is about more than loving every inch of yourself for who you are. It’s about acknowledging your flaws and learning to live with them. Each year my body changes, and it’s because I’ve had another year of living. Growing older isn’t positive, it isn’t negative: it just is.

I hope you’re all ready and excited to take on the challenges 2018 has to bring. You won’t always love yourself and you won’t always feel you’re best. But you’re still you.

What are your tips for building up your body confidence? I’d love to read them in the comments below.

You’re beautiful, ladies!

Disclaimer: I was gifted the skirt in this post. However, all views are my own.